This invention relates to rotary mechanisms for fluid pumps, fluid expansion engines, internal combustion engines and the like. In particular, the invention is directed to an improvement of the rotor and oil seal configuration shown in prior U.S. Pat. No. 3,655,302 granted on Apr. 11, 1972 on an invention of Hermes et al. That patent discloses an oil cooled rotor for a rotary mechanism in which the rotor interior is divided into a plurality of compartments by a plurality of circumferentially spaced partitions into which compartments cooling oil is sequentially supplied and drained as more fully disclosed in prior U.S. Pat. No. 3,176,915 granted on Apr. 6, 1965 to Bentele et al.
In rotary mechanisms of the type shown in said prior patents including that shown in said Hermes et al patent, only one side of the rotor has a gear attached to the rotor. Because of this non-symmetry, the arrangement of the Hermes et al patent results in the rotor having substantially different oil cooling flow paths on each rotor side. As a result, the cooling effectiveness of the rotor cooling oil differs on the two sides of the rotor.
Also, in said Hermes et al patent, the inner portion of the rotor side wall on the anti-gear side of the rotor is interrupted by holes providing access to the rotor gear attaching bolts. As a result of these interruptions, the radially inner portions of the rotor side wall on the anti-gear side of the rotor is not as effective in maintaining an oil film between it and the adjacent side housing for the purposes as set forth in prior U.S. Pat. No. 3,261,542 granted on July 19, 1966 to Jones, as would be the case in the absence of said interruptions. The rotor configuration of this Jones patent is commonly termed, a wet hub rotor in which the rotor hub not only functions as an axial thrust bearing for the rotor but also serves to minimize the quantity of oil otherwise reaching the oil seal.